FETTUCCINE ALFREDO

From: America's Test Kitchen Live!
by Cook's Illustrated

* Note that fettuccine Alfredo must be served immediately it does not hold or reheat well.
Ingredients
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Salt - didn't add
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper - didn't add
• 9 ounces fresh fettuccine
• 1 1/2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated (about 3/4 cup) - I usually add more :)
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg - didn't add

Directions
1. Bring 1 1/2 cup of the heavy cream and the butter to a simmer in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan over medium heat, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the mixture reduces down a bit about 8 minutes minutes. Off the heat, stir in the remaining 1/2 cup cream and pepper.

2. While the cream is reducing, bring 4 1/2 quarts water to a rolling boil, covered, in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta to the pot of boiling water, cook the pasta until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

3. Meanwhile, return the cream mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to low and add the Parmesan, and nutmeg to the cream mixture. Cook over low heat until well incorporated then toss in pasta and reserved pasta water just before you want to serve it.

Creamsicle Cookies

Creamsicle Cookies

These are a fun summer/springtime cookie. They are pretty too.

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons orange zest (for me that was the zest of 2 oranges)
2 cups Guitard Choc-Au-Lait Vanilla Chips (I used Ghirardelli white chips)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture until combined. Stir in orange zest and chips.

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Do not flatten cookies; it will make them dry. Bake 8 - 10 minutes or until golden brown around edges. Do not overcook! Cookies will be plump. Cool for several minutes on cookie sheets before transferring to rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Easy and Crazy Good Marinaria

I used Italian style stewed tomatoes, threw in a few leaves of fresh basil and substituted the wine with chicken broth. Was a huge success at Genevieve's baby blessing family dinner I hosted. Making it a couple days in advance only improves the flavors. :)

Ingredients:

2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 6 tablespoons olive oil 1/3 cup finely diced onion 1/2 cup white wine

Directions:

1.	In a food processor place Italian tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped parsley, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
2.	In a large skillet over medium heat saute the finely chopped onion in olive oil for 2 minutes. Add the blended tomato sauce and white wine.

Cake Mix + Fat Free Greek Yogurt

This is a low fat way of making a really yummy fast cake that is dairy and egg free too! Perfect for me and my egg allergies! It is really good. I used it with devils food cake and layered it with German chocolate cake filling and it was so lovely! Big hit.

Ingredients:
one 18.25 oz box moist style cake mix
1 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt
1 cup water

Directions:
preheat oven to 350 degrees.

combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly and transfer to a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (refer to cake mix box for pan sizes approximate baking time)

Makes 12 servings at 180 calories, 3.25 grams of fat, 306 mg sodium, 34.5 grams of carbs, <.5grams fiber, 20 grams sugar, and 3.5 grams protein

*best with Devil food cake mix.
* texture very moist and yum...think brownie cake hybrid
*Deliciousness!

Cake Mix +Canned Pure Pumpkin

This is a low fat way of making a really yummy fast cake that is dairy and egg free too! Perfect for me and my egg allergies! It is really good. I used a spice cake mix and sprinkled in some Cinnamon and made then muffin style. The kids had them for breakfast and it was big hit.

Ingredients:
1 18.25 oz box moist style cake mix
1 15 oz. can pure pumpkin

Directions:
preheat oven to 400 degrees.

combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly. The batter will be very thick. Then transfer to a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (refer to cake mix box for pan sizes approximate baking time)

Makes 12 servings at 183 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 301 mg sodium, 37grams of carbs, 1.25 grams fiber, 20.5 grams sugar, and 2 grams protein

*best with spice cake mix and devil's food cake mix. - not recommended with white and yellow cake mixes
* texture very moist, thick, and fudge like.
*tastes rich and decadent!

Cake Mix + Diet Soda

This is a low fat way of making a really yummy fast cake that is dairy and egg free too! Perfect for me and my egg allergies! It is really good.

Ingredients:
one 18.25 oz box moist style cake mix
1 12 oz. can diet soda

Directions:
preheat oven to 350 degrees.

combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly and transfer to a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (refer to cake mix box for pan sizes approximate baking time)

Makes 12 servings at 171 calories, 3.25 grams of fat, 299 mg sodium, 36grams of carbs, <.5grams fiber, 21.5 grams sugar, and 1.5 grams protein

*best combos: yellow cake mix + diet cream soda, lemon cake mix + diet lemon-lime, devils food cake mix + diet cherry cola
* texture moist and light
*impressive but if you are sensitive to to the sweetener in diet soda you might not like this version as much

Cake Mix + No-sugar Added Applesauce

This is a low fat way of making a really yummy fast cake that is dairy and egg free too! Perfect for me and my egg allergies! It is really good. I didn't have no sugar added applesauce and the applesauce was strawberry flavor. I sprinkled in some Cinnamon and made then muffin style. The kids had them for breakfast and it was big hit.

Ingredients:
one 18.25 oz box moist style cake mix
1 cup no sugar added applesauce
1 cup water

Directions:
preheat oven to 350 degrees.

combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly and transfer to a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (refer to cake mix box for pan sizes approximate baking time)

Makes 12 servings at 179 calories, 3.25 grams of fat, 299 mg sodium, 36grams of carbs, .5grams fiber, 21.5 grams sugar, and 1.5 grams protein

*best with yellow cake mix
* texture very moist and fluffy. A+
*sweet and slightly apple-y, yummy!